ISI Requirements

The ISI Program is highly competitive and offers admission for 40 individuals to study at the Mount. The Program is designed for rising juniors and seniors seeking a degree in security and intelligence, computer science, foreign policy and/or criminal justice, but is open to students in all majors, to graduate students and to non-degree seeking professionals.

Be at least 18 years of age

Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2

International students must have an F1 Visa to receive credits for the courses

Fluency in the English language*

Given that all the classes are taught in English, a high level of fluency in English is a prerequisite for the ISI Program.

Apply for ISI – 2016 Program Closed

The application window for the 2016 ISI Program has closed.

The application process requires:

Application form

Passport details

Official Academic Transcripts*

Letter of Academic Reference from home institution*

Student transcripts and reference letter must be received by the program by the end of the application window in order to be properly evaluated. Any materials not received will render the application incomplete.

Next steps

If admitted on the program, you will receive an offer email which will contain further instructions about how to complete payment, housing, travel and paperwork.

It is very important that you keep in mind that full and final acceptance on to the program is subject to the availability of space and the full payment of the program fee. To make sure you are definitely on the program you will need to:

Confirm your acceptance of the offer and pay the accommodation fee.

Complete the final paperwork and submit online.

Please note that lecture topics and speakers are subject to change until one week before the course begins.

"ISI was a really great learning experience. The exposure to the different officials and scholars, and the one-on-one time with the professor leading our small groups was extremely valuable. Further, as a Junior it was very helpful to have more of a graduate (student) approach to doing research. I conducted interviews for my paper, and got first hand experience collecting primary source data. The program was very well structured and supported - it really was a highlight in my college career."

Sydnee Robinson

Political Psychology and International Relations, University of California, Berkeley

"...this course is highly interesting and undoubtedly relevant for any student who wants to engage with the studies of security and intelligence. The combination of keynote speakers, group sessions, tête a tête with the professors and most importantly the freedom for the student to dig into a self-selected subject of interest, is the main assets of the program."

Peter Hedegaard-Degn

Master student, political science, Århus University, Denmark

"I acquired a much greater understanding of what exactly happens in national and international intelligence agencies. There is a lot of selfless work in these sectors, but that work is difficult to discuss because of the covert nature of intelligence agencies. I am not certain that I wish to work in the intelligence sector specifically, but I feel certain that I am well prepared to explore it deeply should I wish to pursue it."